An integrated circuit has first structures that are produced in a plurality of wiring planes using exposure masks and serve for producing a functionality required by the user of the circuit. The circuit also has second structures that are produced in a plurality of the wiring planes using the exposure masks and do not serve for the particular functionality, but rather for the capability of checking if the exposure masks used belonged to a common mask set.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit, which comprises the steps of: providing a substrate having a plurality of wiring planes disposed therein; using exposure masks to produce first structures in the plurality of wiring planes, the first structures produce a particular functionality required by a user; using the exposure masks to produce second structures in the plurality of the wiring planes, the second structures not serving for the particular functionality, but for checking if the exposure masks used belonged to a common mask set; evaluating the second structures and producing a corresponding result signal; and checking the second structures to determine if all the exposure masks used during manufacture were associated with the common mask set.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
December 7, 2000
February 4, 2003
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